Complementary and Alternative Medicine: Fair, Balanced, and to the Point

About this web log

This blog is intended as an objective and dispassionate source of information on the latest CAM research. Since my background is in pharmacy and allopathic medicine, I view all CAM as advancing through the development pipeline to eventually become integrated into mainstream medical practice. Some will succeed while others fail. But all are treated fairly here.

About the author

John Russo, Jr., PharmD, is president of The MedCom Resource, Inc. Previously, he was senior vice president of medical communications at www.Vicus.com, a complementary and alternative medicine website.

Common sense considerations

The material on this weblog is for informational purposes. It is not medical advice or counsel. Be smart, consult your health professional before using CAM.

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If you found the information here helpful, please consider supporting this site.If you found the information here helpful, please consider supporting this site.

Reporting at the American College of Rheumatology annual scientific meeting, researchers from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, in Pennsylvania found no benefit for preventing joint damage in the knees caused by osteoarthritis. (more…)

Following the negative report from the Glucosamine/Chondroitin Arthritis Intervention Trial (GAIT), researchers from the University of Utah reanalyzed the data on chondroitin and discovered there’s benefit in certain patients. (more…)

Â Researchers from the University of Paris Descartes in France assessed the long-term effects of chondroitins 4 and 6 sulfate on the symptoms and radiographic progression of knee osteoarthritis (OA). (more…)

Â Reporting at the American College of Rheumatology Annual Scientific Meeting, researchers from the Center For Rheumatic Diseases in Maharashtra, India concluded, Ayurvedic drugs may be safer and just as effective as glucosamine and celecoxib (Celebrex). (more…)

Â This study compared the effect of rest intervals on isokinetic knee exercise in physically active younger and older women.

Isokinetic exercises use an apparatus that provides “variable resistance” (photo). Regardless of the effort exerted, movement occurs at a constant speed. This technique is used to improve muscular strength and endurance, especially after injury. (more…)

The Arthritis Foundation characterized the Glucosamine/chondroitin Arthritis Intervention Trial (GAIT) as “a landmark study that helps define the role of glucosamine/chondroitin in the treatment of knee OA.”

Dr. Paul White from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas has reviewed the medical literature and published a summary of the state of the art of acupuncture to manage pain. (more…)